COACHING STAFF

DANNY FREE | HEAD COACH

Born in Doncaster, England, Danny Free joins Nicholls State University soccer as an Assistant Coach and Goalkeeping Trainer after a stint with Chowan University as their goalkeeping coach. Free was also the Director of Goalkeeping at Chesterfield United and the Virginia Soccer Association.

Free started his youth career at Leeds United before enjoying a five-year spell at Professional English Championship club Barnsley FC. After signing a youth contract in 2007, He was a regular for their youth and reserve teams during his time there. In 2010, Free traveled to Boone, N.C. where he was a four-year starter for the Appalachian State University Mountaineers. Over his career he started in all of his 52 appearances recording exactly 200 saves with a 0.99 goals against average. A 1st team All-Southern Conference selection in his junior year, he finished his career with the Mountaineers as a team captain in 2013. Free played in the summer of 2014 for Chesterfield United in the NPSL.

Alexis Manoa enters her first season as a graduate assistant coach for the Nicholls soccer team.

A native of Strongsville, Ohio, Manoa was a 4-year member of the varsity soccer team at Strongsville High School, playing on the 2011 state championship team. She went on to play for Notre Dame College in Ohio, where she holds career records in goals, assists, points, and games played/started.

Manoa was named Mountain East Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2014 and 2017, as well as Freshman of the Year in 2014. She earned four 1st Team All-Conference awards and one 1st Team All-Atlantic Region award. In addition, Manoa was named Academic All-Ohio.

In 2018, she was nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award by NDC. She graduated from NDC with a Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management and Communication with a minor in media writing. Manoa plans to pursue her MBA at Nicholls.